The House kept NDDA Section 219 in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on Tuesday after approving the rule on H.R. 8800 by a 214-211 vote. The rule let the bill move ahead without a separate vote on an amendment from Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna to remove the section.
The chamber is now set for a recorded vote on the complete NDAA on Wednesday. Section 219 would direct the defense secretary to designate a Pentagon executive agent for the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, keeping the provision inside the bill as the full chamber takes up the measure.
Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna
Massie said on X that the rule passed “without allowing debate or a vote on section 219, integration of US military technology and supply chains with Israel’s.” He added: “The NDAA will receive a recorded vote tomorrow with section 219 in it. I’ll vote no.”
Khanna joined him in opposing the provision, but the House rule blocked their amendment before the chamber reached the larger bill. The result preserved Section 219 for the later vote on the full NDAA, which is part of the roughly $1.1 trillion defense measure for FY 2027.
Section 219 and the Pentagon
Section 219 would do more than keep a line in the bill. The language would require the Pentagon to develop an implementation plan, coordinate with Israeli defense officials and report to congressional defense committees, while the executive agent would coordinate bilateral defense research, development, testing, evaluation and industrial cooperation.
The proposal traces back to the bipartisan, bicameral United States-Israel FUTURES Act. Ronny Jackson and Don Davis introduced the FUTURES Act in the House, and Ted Budd and Kirsten Gillibrand introduced companion legislation. The House Armed Services Committee said the executive agent would be responsible for synchronizing cooperative efforts between the two countries.
The initiative covers counter-drone systems, missile and air defense, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, autonomous systems, directed-energy weapons, advanced sensors, cybersecurity, electronic warfare, biotechnology and medical defense. It also contemplates joint testing, production, procurement, supply-chain coordination, network connections and the incorporation of Israeli or jointly developed technology into U.S. military programs.
The House had previously referred to the section as section 224, and the Tuesday rule vote settled the version that will reach Wednesday’s recorded vote: Section 219 still inside the NDAA, with no separate removal vote first.
